ALF's Special Christmas is a memorable two-part Christmas episode of the beloved TV show ALF , which first aired on December 14, 1987. This special episode stands out for its heartfelt storyline, featuring ALF's unexpected encounter with a young girl named Tiffany, who is undergoing treatment at the hospital during the holiday season. Full Episode - Parts 1 and 2 from YouTube Movies & TV - LINK  (if video embed doesn't work) Backup Video Link from Shout!TV :  https://watch.shout-tv.com/video/675891 The character in the show (Tiffany) was based on a real person who had leukemia,  Tiffany Leigh Smith , who died on January 2nd, 1987. The photos on Find A Grave are of the actress who played her (Keri Houlihan) and not the actual Tiffany Leigh Smith. You can get an excellent deal on the DVD collection of all 4 Seasons of ALF on Amazon by clicking this link In the emotional end credits of the two-part Christmas episode, it is dedicated to Tiffany Leigh Smith and...

Christmas in Sweden and most of Scandinavia begins on December 13th. The 13 is the feast day of Sankta Lucia (Saint Lucia), bringer of light and patron saint of vision. Born in 283 in Syracuse, Sicily, Lucia was known to bring food and supplies to persecuted Christians hiding underground while wearing a wreath of candles upon her head to light the way. She was betrothed to a wealthy pagan but vowed to remain unmarried, wanting to dedicate her life to helping others. Refusing to be married and named a Christian, she was tortured by having her eyes removed and finally martyred. Before the Gregorian calendar reform, Saint Lucia’s feast day fell on the winter solstice, the shortest and darkest day of the year in Sweden, a country she is rumored to have visited in her short life. Today, many in Nordic countries and elsewhere continue to honor her as the virtuous bride, bringing joyful light to their dark winter days. On the morning of her feast day, in family observances, the oldest dau...

"Blackadder's Christmas Carol" is a Christmas special from 1988 that features some well-known actors, including Rowan Atkinson, famous for his role as Mr. Bean; Hugh Laurie, known for playing Dr. Gregory House; and Stephen Fry, recognized from works like V for Vendetta. This special humorously flips the story of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" on its head. In this version, Ebenezer Blackadder, played by Rowan Atkinson, is not a miserly character but rather a kind and generous man who is often taken advantage of, especially by his less-than-trustworthy servant Baldrick. Rather than learning to be kind and generous, Blackadder's experience with the Spirit of Christmas reveals that his goodness leads to exploitation, offering a satirical look at the traditional themes of redemption and morality found in Dickens' original story. You can watch it at archive.org. at  https://archive.org/details/BlackaddersChristmasCarol ------------------------------...

These are a few of my favorite retro/vintage Christmas shows and specials from the 60s, 70s, and 80s that I remember watching the reruns of growing up. This post is inspired by the article on Click Americana, " 100 vintage Christmas TV specials & holiday episodes you might remember from the ’70s & ’80s " A Charlie Brown Christmas The 1965 Christmas special starring the Peanuts gang. It's about the true meaning of Christmas, with Biblical elements. Specifically, Luke 2.8-14. In recent years, it has received some criticism for the segment about the birth of Jesus, the story of the Nativity. Some schools have also chosen to no longer show the Christmas special in classrooms. But the apprehension about the Biblical element being included goes as far back to 1965 when the special was being made. One producer was hesitant about including it. Schultz practically had the convince them to keep it in. The whole, detailed story behind it can be read at  How the Bible...

Twenty-nine people died in the storm from Jan. 28 to Feb. 1, 1977 the first snowstorm to warrant a federal disaster area declaration. Total damage reached $300 million. For 11 days, national news reports showed images of a city blanketed in snow up to the roofs of houses. When the blizzard began, it seemed like just another Friday morning snow flurry. But by 11:35 a.m., lightning flashed and the sky darkened. The wind shifted and began to howl. Soon, people couldn't see across the street. "My reaction? Wow!" meteorologist Ed Reich said. "It was the most dramatic storm I ever saw." Surprisingly, the snowfall total for the storm was only 12 inches. What made the blizzard unique were the sustained winds, gusting up to 69 mph, which picked up the drifts piled high on frozen Lake Erie and dumped them in western New York and southern Ontario. The winds were accompanied by Arctic cold temperatures, making it feel like minus 60 degrees outside. Whiteout condit...

Singing ice is somewhat common and occurs with ice on frozen ponds and lakes. It is otherwise known as acoustic dispersion and occurs in a few ways. Which includes skipping rocks across the surface of the ice , from taking a chance ice skating on ice that's still thin , and (as in this video) from the movement of the ice and the water beneath the ice. When you get to experience it, in person, it is an amazing sound. It is like a spiritual sound and a musical instrument of nature trying to speak with its own voice. Almost unearthly at times. When I was young, we used to have a depression in our yard that would fill with water from autumn rains. When it would get cold enough to freeze I would skip rocks across the surface of the ice to hear the unique sound of the 'singing' ice. It was nothing as remarkable as what's heard in this video though. If you ever have the chance, I definitely recommend going out to an undisturbed, newly frozen pond and experiencing it for you...

Below is a report from an article from November 5, 1865, published in numerous newspapers across the nation in October and November of 1865. Newspapers which included The Daily Phoenix of Columbia, South Carolina, The Cincinnati Commercial, and the St. Louis Democrat. What it describes is an unidentified object that fell from the sky in mid-September of 1865, near Cadotte Pass, Montana. Essentially, a UFO. A Stone Falls from the Sky, with Characters Engraved upon It. Mr. James Lumley, an old Rocky Mountain trapper, who has been stopping at the Everett House for several days, makes a most remarkable statement to us, and one which, if authenticated, will produce the greatest excitement in the scientific world. Mr. Lumley states that about the middle of last September, he was engaged in trapping in the mountains about seventy-five or one hundred miles above the Great Falls of the Upper Missouri, and in the neighborhood of what is known as Cadotte Pass. Just after suns...

Every year around Halloween I try to make time to watch a few films and tv episodes during the season. Not all of them are Halloween themed specifically but they're suited for this time of year. Some of these shows and films are more about nostalgia for me. As is the case with many of the reasons why people watch certain shows and movies throughout October. Here are some of my favorites in no particular order. Ernest Scared Stupid Ernest P. Worrell was one of my favorite characters in movies when I was a child. This film is no different and I've seen it quite a few times. It's a good film for nostalgia's sake. The Hollow (2004) There are a lot of people who don't like this film because of who stars in it (Nick Carter). And this was before the accusations against him. Ignoring his presence in the film as much as you can, this movie is an okay retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Further down the article I will also be highlighting a much better...

The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir is a reservoir that is no longer in use as a water supply. It's a massive body of water that covers over 100 acres and holds over a billion gallons of water. Water access to the reservoir is not permitted to the public and is completely gated in, making it a haven for waterfowl and turtles. It was 'retired' back in 1993 after it was determined that it was vulnerable to contamination and was also made obsolete by superior methods of supplying the water supply for the city. The reservoir was still considered a part of the city's water supply, for emergency use during droughts, until 1999.  The reservoir used to be called the Central Park Reservoir, but in 1994 it was renamed in honor of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the former First Lady and fashion icon. If you're looking for a place to go for a run or walk, the reservoir has got you covered. There's a 1.6-mile track that circles the entire thing, and it's super popular ...

The tulip poplar goes by a few names, including yellow poplar, tulip tree, saddle-leaf tree, and its scientific name, Liriodendron tulipifera. There is also a similar species in China and Vietnam that has the scientific name, Liriodendron chinense. The tulip poplar, related to the magnolia tree, is a hardwood tree native to the eastern regions of the United States, except for the Northwest United States. It also grows in a few regions of Ontario, Canada, including from the Southern shores of Lake Huron, the Northern shores of Lake Erie, and the Niagara Peninsula region. Given the right conditions, a tulip poplar can grow 150 feet in height or taller. There are records of tulip poplars reaching upwards and above 190 feet in height. On average though, a tulip poplar will be anywhere from 70 to 100 feet in height. Being a quick growing tree, you'll have a good beginning of a shade tree within a few years. What's also good about tulip poplars is that they are long-living a...

The Dirty Thirties - The Dust Bowl As anyone who has lived through a tragedy knows, severe circumstances tend to bring out the best in some and the worst in others. This phenomenon can be seen in the history of the region which became known in the 1930s as the dust bowl. While the location of the dust bowl was not static during that trying decade, the term generally refers to the southern portion of the Great Plains. It includes, but is not limited to the northern Texas Panhandle, northeastern New Mexico, southeastern Colorado, southwestern Kansas, and the Oklahoma Panhandle. "The history of the heartland of the dust bowl is a story of extremes. The depression drove farm prices to devastatingly low levels while the weather tormented the residents of the region. Severe depression and extremes in weather were accompanied by plagues of rodents and insects. Although the period is known for its dust storms, the era began with a flood." (Bonnifield, pg. 61) Source: Paul Bonnifie...

Osceola, the Man and the Myths The most famous painting of Osceola by George Catlin.  George Catlin [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Over the last few years of doing the educational programs and living history, I have been trying to put to rest some of the myths surrounding our favorite Seminole, Osceola. Problem is, there has been so much written about him from the very beginning that is just not true. Other people read these things, and not knowing any better, copy them down, and the myths are perpetuated. Without doing any further study, people just don't know any better. So what I will do here is try and expose some of these widely believed falsehoods. Keep in mind that even some of these are debatable, and you may have a different opinion. If looking for facts, avoid novels that are nothing more than historical fiction. Even before he died, newspapers were writing fictional accounts of Osceola. The problem is that many people read these fictional accounts an...

Paeonia tenuifolia is a perennial flower that is better known as the fern leaf peony. This variety of peony has a crimson color to it that is similar to what you'd see with heirloom red roses. It is a plant that will typically be one to two feet tall early in the growing season. Paeonia tenuifolia blooms earlier than other varieties of peonies and can flower all summer, into autumn, but will sometimes go dormant in mid-summer. Paeonia tenuifolia can be grown in zones 4 through 7 and will begin blooming in June. Flower Paeonia tenuifolia in Prague botanic garden, Czech Republic - Karelj [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Paeonia tenuifolia is the perfect ornamental flower Paeonia tenuifolia has a few flowers that are excellent for growing as a companion. These flowers include similarly intense colored rose varieties and colors (per your choice), Jackman's Clematis, Carnations, and Chrysanthemums. Even other Paeonia tenuifolia, such as the pink shades of Rose...

Sequoyah Caverns and Ellis Homestead, closed since 2013 , was a popular destination in DeKalb County, Alabama. The cave was named for Sequoyah in 1963. There is no evidence that he visited the caves but they were home to some of the Creek and Cherokee since archaeological evidence was found in the caves beginning in the 1840s. Some of these artifacts were on display in the main building. They held seasonal events such as Nativity performances  called Winter of Glory from December 21st-24th. Other events they held included Fall into the Past, a Civil War re-enactment that took place in November, a Spring Festival, and Summer Blast on the 4th of July, with fireworks and bluegrass music. Better descriptions of the events that they held: Fall into the Past Relive history at our spectacular Civil War re-enactments that take place for several days every November. Winter of Glory Join us for our live nativity scene event December 21st through the 24th every year....

This 17-minute documentary was filmed in Ohio and covers the subject of the mounds located in the Ohio River Valley. Mounds which were built up by the Hopewell culture from around 200 BC until 500 AD. The Hopewell were preceded by the Adena culture . ( Cultures that succeeded the Hopewell ) Thousands of mounds were built between these two cultures. Sadly, many of which have been damaged or destroyed due to carelessness while researching them, damaged for the use as materials for building foundations for homes , and in 2009, damaged to provide for fill for Sam's Club in Oxford, Alabama . The last records of these mounds being built were in the 1600s. Watch: The Legacy of the Mound Builders Why and How did Native Americans Build Mounds Heironymous Rowe at English Wikipedia [ CC BY-SA 3.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons

This post contains an excerpt from the 1860 book " Social Relations In Our Southern States"  by Daniel Robinson Hundley . The title of the chapter that this text is from is titled, "Poor White Trash." The chapter tells of how the slave owners, and the Southern elite, viewed poor whites in the Confederate south. Including being the views of the author himself. These Southern elites, the slave owners, the plantation owners, had a view that 'poor white trash' were worthless. They were looked down upon for living in rural areas instead of near plantations. They, the "white trash", wanted to be left alone. On the other hand, Southern elites wanted everything to be their business and for the benefit of their "business". These specific poor whites wanted no part of participating in slave ownership either since most of them were against it. All in all, If the Southern elite could have gotten away with it, they would've also enslaved poor ...